You are on this page: Child Care Training and Professional Development for Licensed and Registered Programs
Caring for children is a rewarding and demanding profession. High-quality training is essential to protecting children's health and safety as well as promoting their growth and development. Many successful providers go beyond the required thirty (30) hours every two (2) years of training to further their career and enhance the quality of care they offer. You can too!
You will probably have questions about training:
- What are the New York State requirements?
- What are my career goals?
- Where can I find training opportunities?
- How can I afford the training I want? Are there costs for the training I want?
These pages contain important information to get you started. But don't stop here. Explore the possibilities for your career and the future of your program. Think beyond the 30-hour every two (2) years requirement. The rewards are yours to discover!
Contents
Roles in Training Requirement Compliance
- Child Day Care Providers
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As a child day care provider, your role is to attend training and keep accurate records for yourself and the staff/caregivers you employ. Your work serves the children of New York State and their families. You are a vital member of the community and the quality of care you provide has an impact on many lives.
- New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) Division of Child Care Services (DCCS)
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OCFS is the New York State office that regulates child day care programs like yours. OCFS licensors can be contacted through regional offices across the state. OCFS registrars are located at CCR&Rs or at your Local DSS. You may contact them if you have questions about your training requirements.
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)
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DOHMH is contracted by OCFS to license and register family or group family day care homes and school-age child care programs for the five (5) boroughs of New York City. Child day care centers in NYC are not overseen by OCFS and are governed by Article 47.
- Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (CCR&Rs):
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CCR&Rs are a great child care resource for providers, parents, and employers. They offer many training opportunities and may also act as registrars for family day care homes and school-age child care programs.
What is Needed to Verify my Training Credits?
You need to keep accurate records of the trainings you attend, including completion certificates, grade reports or transcripts. Upon request from OCFS the program must be able to show proof of compliance with the 30 hours of training needed in a two year period covering the required topics. Proof must be available for review during inspection. OCFS has developed two (2) forms to help you track your program and your individual hours. These forms are on the OCFS website. Keep all your training documents; the licensor will ask to see the originals. Training documents may not be altered. Always keep original documents in your file.
If you have additional questions concerning which types of training activities can count toward your 30 hour requirement, contact your licensor or registrar.
What are Credential Programs?
Credentials are academic degrees, licenses or certificates awarded to individuals who successfully complete state or national requirements to enter specialized roles in the early childhood profession.
There are many programs that offer credentials that have been established to improve the competencies of people working with children and their families. Some include:
- Child Development Associate Credential is the most widely recognized credential in early childhood education and is a key stepping stone on the path of career advancement in early childhood education. This credential is based on a core set of competency standards, which guide early care professionals as they work toward becoming qualified teachers of young children.
- Children's Program Administrator Credential for New York State is designed to provide for and be recognized as a standard by which to measure program management, fiscal management, and the leadership abilities of early childhood and school-age administrators.
- Family Child Care Credential is designed to formally recognize those practitioners who demonstrate their competence, knowledge and professional practice in the areas of professional family day care homes, child development, healthy home learning environments and business practices.
- Family Development Credential is a program that prepares frontline workers with skills necessary to provide empowerment-based assistance to families so that they might set and obtain goals of healthy self-reliance.
- Infant and Toddler Care and Education Credential formally recognizes the value and specialized knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for practitioners who work with infants and toddlers.
- School-Age Child Care Credential is designed to promote quality services to children and families by providing specific standards, training and evaluation of school-age staff members and providers.
What is ASPIRE?
ASPIRE is New York State's registry and statewide training calendar for early childhood and school-age professionals developed by New York Works for Children, the State's integrated professional development system for the early childhood and school-age workforce. Teachers, providers, directors, trainers and anyone who works with children can use ASPIRE to keep track of important information about their career, including education, employment history and other professional development. Additionally, it provides access to training records and qualifications of providers - making it a valuable tool for OCFS licensing staff.
Finding Training in Other Languages
If you are looking for Health and Safety training or Medication Administration Training (MAT) in a language other than English you can visit the "Locate a Trainer in Your Area" section of the PDP website.